Since August has five weekends, let’s have fun with biblical fives, starting with the Old Testament tabernacle. God the Father so loved His people, He wanted to camp among them. The tabernacle was a special, ornate tent designed for that purpose, and we keep bumping into the number five as we study it. There were five curtains (Exodus 26:3), five supporting rods (26:26-28), and five pillars at the entrance (26:37). The altar was five cubits long and five cubits wide (27:1), and there were ten sets of five loops and clasps (26:5-6).

There’s nothing magical about the number five, but it does show us how intentional God was in structuring a place to abide among the Israelites. Nothing about the tabernacle was random. It was planned, structured, and graciously provided for.

In the same way, the God who arranged every curtain and pillar has also arranged all that is needed to make His home in your heart through His Spirit. His presence with you is wisely ordered, and your very body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). What a blessing!

The Holy Spirit takes up residence in believers, making their bodies a holy place for the dwelling of God’s special presence.
Richard L. Pratt, Jr.